irish trio up
for top award

Ed Joyce has been nominated for the Men's International Player of the Year award. Pic: Matt Mackey / Press Eye

Published:22:00Thursday 27 October 2016

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Ed Joyce, Kevin O’Brien and Tim Murtagh are all in the running for the KPC Group Men’s International Player of the Year Award.

The news comes as the nominations for the 2016 KPC Group Cricket Ireland Awards were announced.

Joyce was the top run scorer in the qualification period, making 522 runs in the nine games he played at a healthy average of exactly 58. This included two centuries in the ODI series against Afghanistan, where his brilliant unbeaten 160 in the final match levelled the series.

Kevin O’Brien and Tim Murtagh were Ireland’s leading wicket takers during the year - each taking 26. O’Brien’s wickets came at an average of 27.12, with a best bowling return of four for 45 against Afghanistan. In a fine all-round season he also made 501 runs at 29.47.

Murtagh’s 26 wickets came at an average of 25.73. His best bowling return of four for 29 came in the I win over Hong Kong - a result that kept Ireland’s quest for Test status firmly on track.

Isobel Joyce, Kim Garth and Ciara Metcalfe have been short-listed for the Cricketshop.ie Women’s International Player of the Year Award.

Metcalfe and Garth were the joint leading wicket takers with 22. Metcalfe’s haul came at an average of 15.59, including four for 15 against Sri Lanka.

Garth’s 22 victims cost an average of 19.82, while she made 263 runs at 32.88. Joyce also had all-round success scoring 310 runs at 28.18, while picking up 16 wickets at 21.31.

The Sunday Independent Aengus Fanning International Emerging Player of the Year will go to Barry McCarthy, Robyn Lewis or Jenny Gray.

In youth cricket there will be a Flogas Junior Player of the Year award, as well as the Shapoorji Pallonji Academy Player of the Year. The winners of these will be decided by the Cricket Ireland Academy and youth coaches.

The Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Player of the Year Award will go to one of John Anderson, Andy McBrine or George Dockrell.

In a season where Leinster Lightning completed a clean sweep of trophies, skipper Anderson was the competition’s leading run scorer with 440 runs at 48.89. Dockrell was the joint-leading wicket taker claiming 19 wickets at 23.68, while showing his all-round ability making 221 runs at 55.25. McBrine skippered the North West Warriors scoring 356 runs at 29.67, while taking 10 wickets at 36.80.

There will also be an award for the Toyota Super 3 Player of the Year.

Five candidates are shortlisted for the Notts Coach of the Year award. They are former internationals Ryan Eagleson and Mark Olphert, Women’s Coach Aaron Hamilton, Munster’s Chris Thomas and Rob O’Connor from the LCU.

Eight clubs have been shortlisted for the Tildenet Club of the Year Award. They are Clontarf, Cork County, Ardmore, Fox Lodge, Ballyspallen, Laois, Ringcommons and Kerry.

Leinster players dominate the short-list for the O’Neills Club Player of the Year accolade, with North County all-rounder Eddie Richardson nominated alongside Simmi Singh from YMCA and Merrion’s John Anderson.

Umpires Paul Reynolds and Alan Neill have been nominated in the IAA Official of the Year category along with international scorer Stella Downes.

The most competitive category is perhaps the Oasis Volunteer of the Year. The five finalists are Mary McMahon (Leinster), Willie Dwyer (The Hills), Herbie Hanohan (Wexford Wanderers), Sean Farrell (Bagnelstown) and Lorraine McKeaney (Malahide).

There will also be presentations for the Gibneys Outstanding Contribution to Irish Cricket and the Cricket Writers of Ireland Hall of Fame induction.

The winners will be announced at the Cricket Ireland Awards Lunch on Friday November 11.